Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located within the Navajo Nation territory in northeastern Arizona, where human life has existed for up to 5000 years. The canyon is truly a beautiful and striking natural attraction and is definitely recommended to visit, worth making a detour even if it’s not directly on your route. It’s about a little over an hour’s drive each way from Route 66, where we also took a detour to visit.
The canyon is situated near the town of Chinle, from where it’s only a short distance to even the furthest viewpoint of the canyon. The area itself is relatively small, and a suitable visit time is from a couple of hours to half a day, during which you can fully explore both the southern and northern sides of the canyon. A tip for accommodation is the Best Western Canyon De Chelly Inn in Chinle.
Start your visit at the Welcome Center, where you’ll find interesting information about the area that will enrich your visit.
If time is limited, consider exploring the southern rim of the canyon, which features six scenic overlooks. This loop, including stops, takes approximately two hours.
The most popular and perhaps the most beautiful viewpoint of the southern rim is Spider Rock. You can drive almost all the way here, and from the parking lot, you’ll have truly stunning views. However, a short walk further leads to a separate scenic spot, which is highly recommended for its walkability.
Exploring the bottom of the canyon is not entirely unrestricted, as it is inhabited by Navajo people, and visiting requires permission. One of the few trails that lead further down into the canyon without a guide is the White House Trail. We hiked along this trail for some distance although we didn’t go all the way down.
Guided tours with a knowledgeable guide are available to explore the canyon more thoroughly, including options for activities like horseback riding, which would truly be an experience in these landscapes and this area.
The canyon is definitely worth seeing and experiencing. Its scale is truly impressive, with cliff walls reaching approximately 300 meters in height. In some aspects, it was even more impressive than the Grand Canyon; you can somehow grasp its size better whereas the Grand Canyon is so vast that its scale is hard to comprehend, which in another way makes it uniquely awe-inspiring.
Overall, the canyon pleasantly surprised us, and we can’t recommend a visit here enough while exploring Arizona. We can guarantee that you’ll enjoy your time here.
